Identifier: voicefromcongoco00ward (find matches)
Title: A voice from the Congo : comprising stories, anecdotes, and descriptive notes
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Ward, Herbert, 1863-1919
Subjects: Ward, Herbert, 1863-1919 Africa, Central -- Description and travel Africa, Central -- Social life and customs
Publisher: New York : Charles Scribner's Sons
Contributing Library: University of Connecticut Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Connecticut Libraries

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ends. jfc jfi S;C ^S :(( Travelling with a caravan during the rainy season,I once came to a swollen torrent which baffled allour attempts to ford. We succeeded at length infelling a small tree in such a way that it lay acrossthe river. Unfortunately it fell over the deepest partand sank some three feet below the surface. Cau-tiously, each man of my caravan crossed, until thereremained but one native and myself. The native stepped upon the submerged tree andfelt his way carefully, balancing himself with con-siderable difficulty. I followed a few feet behind.The muddy water swirled past very swiftly. About half way across, I heard a cry from thebank, and the next moment I caught sight of a heavylog floating down towards us, borne swiftly with thecurrent. The poor native in front of me was struckupon the shoulder; he lost his balance and disap-peared. A second later, while I was making everyendeavour to steady myself, there appeared belowme the face of the unfortunate man, distorted with
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t (5 U SOUVENIRS 213 terror. Throwing his arms in the air he cried mournfully: Ekh-mamma! and sank for the last time in the swirling torrent. *****In the pioneer days of the Congo, before the eraof railroads, all loads had to be carried overlandby natives, and a system of manual transport be-came quite an institution. The loads, which werecarried on their heads, were as a rule arrangedin such a way as not to exceed sixty-five lbs. in weight The main caravan roads that lead into the interiorare less than a foot wide, and this width is preservedthroughout the whole length. The people usingthese paths are in the habit of advancing along themwith a peculiar tread, bringing each foot directlyin front of the other. Frequently, in following theflat bed of a valley the path winds in apparently anunnecessary manner. The explanation is simple.Weary and exhausted, carriers often died uponthe path. A subsequent caravan following the sameroute made a detour, in the form of a loop, to avoidpassing

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